Uganda Launches One Health Strategic Plan

February 2018

Uganda knows the devastating effects of a major disease outbreak. Just this past November, the East African country dealt with a deadly Marburg virus outbreak that left three people from the Kween and Kapchorwa districts dead. Although Uganda was able to contain the deadly outbreak, they recognized the need for a coordinated One Health effort in preparing for these disease threats.

To foster disease preparedness and response efforts, Uganda launched a One Health Strategic plan on February 15, 2018 at the Imperial Royale hotel in Kampala and with direct supported from P&R. Prior to this launch, P&R provided direct technical and consultancy support to the development of the One Health Strategic plan.

Over 60 attendees were at the event, including stakeholders from various government ministries, the private sector and academia. Mr. Paul Mafabi, the current chair of Uganda’s National One Health Platform, launched the event with a speech on the necessity of the strategic plan.

He pledged strong commitment from the MWE to implement the plan while other government representatives reaffirmed their support for the One Health approach and pledged strong commitment from their various ministries.

In his speech, Mafabi implored all sectors to provide resources to fund the strategic plan and formally declared the plan launched. The strategic plan was distributed to all participants at the end of the event with more to be sent to stakeholders.